Call to Action: Congressional Action Needed on Cap and Cuts

The 2-month fix extending the Medicare cap exceptions process that Congress passed December 23, 2011, will expire February 29. If Congress does not pass legislation before February 29 the therapy cap will go into effect without an exceptions process, and a scheduled 27.4% cut to provider payments under the Medicare physician fee schedule will be implemented March 1.

APTA is working with Congress to protect the physical therapy profession and its patients from these impending cuts. Help strengthen the association's efforts by contacting your legislators today to express your support for full repeal of the sustainable growth rate and the therapy cap. Urge your legislators to—at the very least—pass a 2-year extension of the therapy cap exceptions process as proposed in the original House bill, which saves money and creates a path to reform the therapy benefit in the long term.

Comments

The exception process on the therapy cap needs to be extended to ensure the proper care of our patients. Patients benefit from the services of therapy in improving their function, and the exception process is not a place that the government needs to start at when making spending cuts, as the health of our patients is paramount.

Posted by Tim McGill -> ANY]<K
on 2/7/2012 1:21 PM

i have made multiple contacts with my Legislative representatives regarding this issue and twice I have asked them to take a 27-30% pay cut similar to what we are facing and they to a man have not responded to that request, just the usual BS from a politician, and never answering the question!

Posted by Brian Lambert PT
on 2/10/2012 11:28 AM

The benefits from physical therapy are so important to improve patients function not only for better quality of life, but for reduced cost to health care by getting them home sooner, decrease labor and time of their care, prevention or reduction of indirect additional comorbidities and more enforcment of safe and healthful living that will carryover into their remaining life.

Posted by Debra Noel PTA
on 2/10/2012 12:24 PM

Reason number 92 why we as PTs should not be supporting universal health care run by the govt. You don't think this same thing will happen to all reimbursements if they are all govt run. We see significant limits on medicaid in NM currently. The free market is the best way to keep costs down and ensure better reimbursements.

Posted by Suzanne Thomas
on 2/11/2012 10:02 AM

I cannot reach Senator Patti Murray, who is powerful Senator on Capitol Hill. She does not care to receive information on how I would like her to vote.
The incumbent Democrats are bound and determined to change health care insurance with untruths about the benefits from their Law, which is not going to benefit old people, medical care access, and especially not rehabilitation. Insurance companies are not going to pay out for wellness, they are hoping the sick die off.